Morale is the unseen ingredient that either helps push a business to new heights or drops it to a new low. Morale can and will negatively affect a workplace, and it will continue to wreak havoc until the business owner steps in to reverse the issues at hand.

Morale

Morale comes in two flavors: high and low. A team of employees whose morale is high will be more likely to contribute to the company's success than employees whose morale is low. Morale can be affected by many factors -- the overall economy, for example -- but is often a product of management and employee relations. A company that places emphasis on employee relations and provides solid pay and a wealth of benefits will usually enjoy a workforce whose morale is high. A company that negatively criticizes employees, doesn’t provide for growth within the enterprise, offers low pay and little to no benefits often experiences a workplace whose morale is low. Low morale is always bad for a company and never in itself results in anything positive.

Productivity

Morale is an important determinant of an employee’s productivity. A happy employee who feels a great sense of worth in his job will almost always outperform an employee who is unhappy with his job. Lesser productivity because of poor morale often comes in the form of absences from work, tardiness, and a lack of motivation from a sense of being stuck at a dead end with no chance of moving up. According to Roberts Wesleyan College, the Gallup Organization says that the American economy loses about $350 billion each year due to a lack of productivity and performance associated with low morale.

Attitude

Attitude often correlates with the level of employee morale. An employee is naturally more likely to display a negative attitude when his morale level is low. Negative attitudes can cause a number of problems in the workplace, from insubordination to lack of teamwork. If left unchecked, the negative attitudes among employees can spread, infecting others and even cause a workplace to come apart.

Customer Service

Many businesses deal with customers on a daily basis. The interaction between the customer and employee must always be positive. The customer must feel welcomed, and the employee must always go the extra mile to ensure the customer is satisfied. Low morale negatively affects customer interactions. Employees who have a low morale are less likely to greet customers with a positive attitude, and less likely to appear outgoing. If the employee isn’t happy with his job, it will show to the customer.

Ways to Fix Low Morale

A company can fix morale issues by engaging the employee in his job. Giving the employee a sense of worth, empowering him and providing him with competitive pay and benefits, should help raise his morale to more positive territory.

About the Author

Located in Pittsburgh, Chris Miksen has been writing instructional articles on a wide range of topics for online publications since 2007. He currently owns and operates a vending business. Miksen has written a variety of technical and business articles throughout his writing career. He studied journalism at the Community College of Allegheny County.